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I just received a brand new console, and it doesn't fit my convertible. then I noticed a set of instructions which indicates some cutting might be involved. has anyone ever re-cut their console to fit their convertible? if so what tools did you use? a table saw?

You should have gotten a template with the console, you're supposed to line it up and then dremel the shape out. Kind of budget I guess, but on the other hand BMW generally doesn't assume that people will be installing these things themselves so its understandable.. its just a little more work for your mechanic.

I just received a brand new console, and it doesn't fit my convertible. then I noticed a set of instructions which indicates some cutting might be involved. has anyone ever re-cut their console to fit their convertible? if so what tools did you use? a table saw?

here is the console:

I just did this last weekend! I used the template that came with my console to mark where it need to be cut....and I used a battery operated jigsaw to cut it. Very easy to do, and came out great.

I did the same just recently as I needed to do a cutout also for the rear vert alarm sensor cover (06 vert). The alarm sensor template also includes the vert cutout section. I cut out the template (the section that gets cut out) and scotch taped it to the new console. I used a dremel with a cutting wheel since there is other plastic right behind what you are cutting away and you don'd want to go too deep. Once the cutout was finished I used an X-acto knife to cut away any plastic in the corners still holding the cutout in place, and the used a sanding block to clean up the edge. It came out perfect. BTW, the template does not stick too well to the console, so that's why I used clear Scotch tape. It holds it in place better and it protects the surface from scratches while cutting.

Just curious, why are you (and everyone else on this thread) replacing the console in your convertible?

convertibles get a lot more sun than the average 3 series. The sun makes the rubberized coating look faded and dirty after a few years.. plus normal use scratches it up and makes it look like poop especially around the parking brake handle.

then BMW really screws you because the don't sell a console specific to the convertible, so you have to order one from the coupe and cut the back so it fits the higher hump profile of the body.

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Cheat Sheet:

GT1/ISIS/MoDiC = Factory authorized diagnostic system used by BMW dealerships across the world.

NCS Expert = BMW Factory R&D programming tool available on the internet (not intended for the public and not available to the dealership network)

OEM = Genuine BMW part only available from a franchised BMW dealership.

Since my template didn't align well with the new center console, I removed the old one and used it as a template. I put masking tape on the new console and used a pencil to trace a cutting line.

Since I don't have a dremel, I flattened the tip of a soldering iron with a hammer and used it as a hot knife. It didn't produce the best results, but it worked. I used 100 grit sand paper with a sanding block to clean up the edges.

I wish I had seen this thread before I tackled this last night. Luckily it was pretty easy to put 2 and 2 together once I saw the template in the box. Like others, I cut it with a hacksaw and Dremel wheel. I used a deburring tool to clean up the edge, and I'm good to go. I got a eurotray as well to replace the cup holders. The car looks a LOT nicer now.

Thanks to everyone in this thread for all their help. I was going nuts trying to figure out why my new center console wasn't fitting. My friend used the saw and dremmel method and did it for me. He didn't like the template so he used the old center console as his template and drew around the new one. Once the new console was installed you can't even tell it was modified